Darren Daulton's Surgery: Brain Tumors Successfully Removed

Darren Daulton, a former Philadelphia Phillies All-Star catcher, had surgery to remove two brain tumors, and next will have radiation and speech treatments, according to the Associated Press.

Darren Daulton, 51, hadn’t been feeling well in recent weeks and was struggling to fully express himself, prompting him to visit a doctor who discovered the tumors. His diagnosis was disclosed last week in a statement released by 97.5 The Fanatic radio station in Philadelphia, on which Darren Daulton hosts a show.

Darren Daulton was sedated but awake as the tumors were removed, so doctors could talk to him during the seven-hour procedure to avoid any damage to his speech functions. Kevin Judy, who performed the surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, said the main uncertainty in Darren Daulton's recovery process will be his speaking ability.

“Strength is not a concern,” Judy was quoted as saying by MLB.com. “The concern is his language function. The problems he had been having brought this to attention, and we’ll have to see how that evolves.”

Darren Daulton played 14 seasons in Philadelphia from 1983 to 1996 before a final season with the Florida Marlins, who won the World Series. He was also on the Phillies’ team that took the National League pennant in 1993.

Nicknamed “Dutch,” Darren Daulton had a .245 career batting average with 137 home runs and 588 runs batted in, earning All-Star Game invitations in 1992, 1993 and 1995.